The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1
by Ceres 82.1
Summary: The Heroes have returned from their long quest, but a malevolent entity has awakened, threatening the world's balance and existence. Will the Heroes seal the entity in time? First part of a series. Power World Fanfiction. Bad summary, I know.
1. Prologue

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1

**Author's Note**

**Now, this is the Prologue of the story. I'm sorry that its writing came so late, but it's recommended that you read this to know more about the background of the story.

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**Prologue**

_The Omniverse is a realm of balance. Death is met with Life, Evil with Good, Fire with Ice, Creation with Destruction._

_All of the Powers that exist in these realms, and in the Omniverse, coexist with their opposites so as to maintain balance. In order to keep this balance, the Bringers were created by Twilight, the God, to be awakened if needed. It was also this need for balance that the Finalities, physical and magical representations of the Powers and the true manipulators of the Powers (and all those that are imbued or created with it), have created entities of immense power in the most chaotic and precarious realms, the realm of Se'ria, the ancient word for Earth. _

_In times when war and violence shatters the purity, balance, and calm of the realm, these entities are called forth to stop the chaos. Most of the time, the entities created a dweller, special among all the dwellers, to rise up and defeat his adversaries to win the day and to restore peace to the land. But in times where not even a special creation can stop the chaos, they themselves will rise up from whence they came._

_There were four of them, it was told. Four to respond to the chaos. Many feared the four, for such tales have been told about them. Many hated the four, for they have killed and pillaged in the name of order. Many have thought that these entities were accursed, for they brought death to the land. And so, many have called them the Accursed Entities, fearsome entities that have plagued the realm since time immemorial. And so thousands of years passed, until that Great War came. It ended recently, after the fall of Isundreik Hellstrike and the Aeonian, after the Heroes' triumph in invoking the power trapped within the Power Crystal, to open the door to that mystic realm of Enerworia._

_However, as years passed, chaos has started again at Se'ria. Nations fight against each other, many are killed in the battles that ensued. The Heroes, now Lords of their nations, have started to make war against their own friends. And so, the Accursed Entities stir from their long slumber, ready to break the pathetically weak seals that keep them sealed within the earth..

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**There's the prologue! I hoped you enjoyed it, although it was pretty short. Chapter 6 will be had in a short while, so just wait!  
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	2. Awakening

The Accursed Chronicles-Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1, member of the Power World Authors' Guild

**Author's Note**

**To all the readers of my old fics, I'm sorry I haven't updated for a long time. It's because I'm running out of ideas for more chapters, my dial-up in my old home conked out, and I had to wait until the 26****th**** to go back to my current address and my DSL connection. I also needed to read a lot of fics to supply my mind with more ideas. I'm having plot after plot though, for new stories.**

**The idea for this new fic, though, started nagging in my head for a while, plus an idea of an OC. Suddenly, this series of events popped up in my brain, and lo! We have a series being written.**

**This fanfic is the first of a small series of fanfics, involving many game worlds, but with only one plot. Enjoy Episode 1!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POWER WORLD. It's a Joint-Venture RPG **_**and**_** Novel, thus dispelling all right of ownership from any member of the Guild. ( All people in the Guild are the members of Power World.)**

**Note: The setting ( in Power World perspective) will be post-Episode 1 and pre-Episode 2, after Enerworia has been risen and the heroes have gone home. BE INFORMED THAT MOST PLACES IN THIS FANFIC ARE NOT PART OF THE POWER WORLD SERIES.**

_**Chapter 1: Awakening**_

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A tragedy has befallen the Eastern Territories; a dormant Cursed Entity, held to its place deep in a sacred cavern, has awakened and develpoed into a being as powerful as the Heroes. This menace has villages and cities under its lethal curse, sparing no living creature in its wake.

Then, a smaller, but graver tragedy has occurred; a girl, roughly seventeen years of age, has been seen to be possessed by the Entity. Only one eyewitness out of fourteen made it to the Eastern Kingdom of Rothlen, and immediately sought an audience with the king. Making things worse, the eyewitness suddenly became unconscious when he was about to describe the possessed person. A few hours later, he was reported dead. Cities all around the Eastern Territories have forbidden entry to all travelers, since no one knows exactly the identity of the possessed girl.

In the meanwhile, at Eras Yres, the once-fabled City of Warlocks, and now the city where two of the small band of heroes lived, a messenger has arrived at a simple house, overlooking the plains that surrounded Eras Yres.

" Sir, I have an urgent message!" The messenger quickly knocked on the wooden door. The door opened, and a man, dressed in a long black robe that had a cowl, appeared. The man said calmly, " Calm down. Ahh, so you are a messenger from Rothlen. What is the matter?"

" Sir, the Cursed Entity, Nura, has awakened and is rampaging on the Eastern Territories! Its strength is immeasurable, sir; armies and magic users fell under its curse!"

The man asked, " Any significant losses?" The messenger replied, " The Kingdom has heard rumors that the Eastern Guardian has been defeated, though it has not been verified. Also, the bishop Renas has fallen, though it was said that Nura had a hard time getting rid of him."

" How about Ralphinium, the Elemental Manipulator? I heard that he was in Rothlen lately."

" He barely escaped the clutches of the curse, sir, in a village in the north. Nobody has seen him since."

As if on a cue, a bolt of lightning blinded the two, and when the flash dissipated, a young man stood exactly where the lightning bolt struck.

" Still can't resist using your powers, Ralph?"

" But it's the fastest way to reach here! I had to encircle the continent once to shake off pursurers, though, so I was delayed."

" Ralph, is it true that you have escaped the Cursed Entity?"

" Yes, yes. Mind you, it's an experience one man could do without."

Turning to the messenger, he said, " You can return to Rothlen."

Ralph said, " Let me help you." He snapped his hands, and a lightning bolt erupted inside the house, taking the messenger with it.

" Okay, Ralph, tell me your experience with Nura. Firstly, was it in its original form, or was it possessing a person?"

" Surely, it didn't look human. It was far from human."

" Secondly, what type of magic did it use?"

" Terrible magic. It was very unique, but I know it's dark magic, and it's cursed elder magic as well. From what I read from some books, magic like that is rare, and destructive as well. It's powerful to Elemental magic, but it's weak to Light magic, although the presence of sunlight does not affect its power in any way."

" Thirdly, how fast did the curse act on a person?"

" Well, it seemed to be slow-acting, weakening the person, then the curse attacks visciously at the person's life, then the person dies, helpless. The curse is not contagious."

Silence filled the room for a few minutes, as the man thought deeply.

" Hmm..inform the Kingdom of Rothlen to call on all other kingdoms of the Eastern Territories, to have an emergency council with the kingdoms' wisemen and high officials. I will fetch the others, while you wait at Rothlen's capital."

" Got it." With a burst of lightning, Ralph disappeared, on the way to inform the King of Rothlen about the meeting.

" I hope Ralph can get to Rothlen in time, before the curse reaches the capital." With these words, he walked out of his house and strode off to the Shrine of Light, located in the south.

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**Post-Chapter A/N**

**So here's the first chapter of TAC Episode 1! There will be more chapters coming soon, if I can manage to submit the documents before the second week of May.**

**Please comment and suggest; I would appreciate the help.**


	3. Preparation

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1

**Author's Note**

**It has been quite a long time since this story has been updated, but I now have a refreshed mind and I'm ready to give you this second chapter! To those who waited for a long time for this, I'm very sorry that this story has only progressed after a long time..**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Power World, nor most of its characters. The characters I own so far only are Apocalis, Kira, and Torresa. The characters created here (Eiteran, Ezinale, Minas, Demi) are mine as well. But that's it.**

**As usual, reviews, advice, and comments are appreciated. Flames are not appreciated much, but will be accepted if there is **_**a good and sensible reason**_** for those flames to exist.**

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**Chapter 2: Preparation**

Apocalis has reached the Shrine of Light, in which many priests and priestesses were going around, and he saw some trainee priests using staves to try and manipulate the healing magic. He then saw the guard monks by the door, who recognized him and opened a small door into the Shrine.

He walked through white-tile floors, looking around.

"So much has changed," he said. "The floors are whiter, the walls cleaner and brighter..it seems that they built some fountains, too." He then reached the Shrine itself, the temple of the Light.

It was a clean-looking and simple temple, with an altar at its center. The altar itself was lined with white cloth, a cloth which has not been changed in hundreds of years, yet looks clean. At the altar was a woman, dressed in a cleric's robes, praying at the altar.

The cleric was an epitome of purity, her white robe and the utter simplicity of her appearance emphasized the clerics and monks' way of life. Noticing that someone was watching her, she stood up from her kneeling position in front of the altar and faced the man who was watching her.

"I see that you have come, Apocalis." Kira Taris, the Priestess of the Light, greeted him with familiarity. A small smile also was on her lips as well, seeing her old friend come for a visit.

_A few minutes later, on a small room at the right side of the Shrine.._

"..And that seems to be the situation." Apocalis finished explaining the recent events.

"This curse, according to Minas, was of elder magic. If this is to be, the power of Light can easily overwhelm it." Kira conjectured.

"But this is no simple Dark Elemental. Surely, it gets stronger with every kill, since it's a spirit."

"So, we need more than just Light to defeat it, since it has Spirit magic as well. But what if this entity takes the souls and essences of its victims, then integrates it onto itself? What if it can summon its victims into its minions, an army of spirits?" Kira said, horrified.

"Yes, all that can happen." Apocalis replied gravely. "We will have to call on everybody."

"Then let us go." The pair then got out of the room, and teleported to where each of the heroes are; Ralph, who is in the central plains, tying to summon elemental minions; Minas, who was in the Lightning Shrine; Drabiticium, who was in the Air Shrine with Cloud; Eiteran, who was guarding the outskirts of the Eastern Empire; Ezinale, who was at the northern Kingdom of Ice; and Demi, who was at the Shrine of Darkness.

The nine heroes now were teleported to the gates of the capital of Rothlen, where they sought the audience of the king and his generals. Soon, they were at the throne room, with all of the capital's generals, some of the generals in the surrounding cities of the kingdom, and a contingent from the border guard.

"So we may meet an undead army, is that correct?" A captain of the border guard asked.

"Yes, there is a chance. It has laid waste to a number of cities already, and it might reincarnate its victims to form a gigantic army of zombies and skeletons." Apocalis answered.

"Can they be killed by mere physical force?" The same captain asked.

"Yes, but one zombie can contend with two soldiers. They are stubbornly strong and persistent, and one must take caution when it attacks with its diseased and rotten claws. Skeletons are harder to kill using swords and lances, but can be crushed to powder easily using the flat base of a broad blade or a mace." Demi answered, having an extensive knowledge of fiends and dark creatures.

"But take note; a curse will be put upon you when you are attacked directly by the spirit. This curse will drain out your life gradually and will kill you in a matter of time." Kira added.

"But what if this spirit is at the forefront? Then our forces will fall and turn against us!" A general said, afraid that his own troops will attack him.

"If the spirit is in the front, then we will plan for some diversionary tactics. That can be discussed when the need arises." Apocalis answered.

"So, what will be our plan for now?" The king asked.

Apocalis laid out their plan:

"There is to be three lines of defense: The Advance Guard, the Middle Guard, and the Final Guard. Each of these lines of defense will have different units: The Advance Guard has more infantry and some cavalry, the Middle Guard has the bulk of the troop, and the Final Guard has the units that will protect this city from a siege from the undead forces.

"Drabiticium and Cloud will be at the Advance Guard, I, Kira, Demi, and Minas will be at the Middle Guard, and Ralph, Eiteran, and Ezinale will be at the Final Guard. If you are facing retreat or is trapped, throw these to the ground so that they will break." He gave each of them an orb, pulsing with blue light. "These orbs will take you to this city's walls instantly. Use them wisely, and only when you really need it."

"Also, the generals of the army shall be at the Middle Guard. The king's own guard and its commanders and generals will remain here. If the Middle Guard falls, run to the nearest safe place possible."

"And that will be these mountains." A commander pointed to two mountain ranges, extending over five hundred kilometers and having only one passage through.

"The Rothlen Pass? I think spirits do not mind going through rock." Ralph commented.

"Well, apparently, it can, but it will not know where to go inside the mountains, and of course it will be lost inside those mountains. The zombies and skeletons, however, do not go to mountains." Demi said.

"Well, what if we can mount an ambush? When the initial guard falls, we rush on two flanks, quickly dispatching their forward flanks and enabling us to have a better chance at surviving." A general said.

"That can work, but it won't be much of a help if we're talking about a gigantic horde. We must concentrate on reinforcing the Pass." Another general argued. "Also, what if the horde goes around and traps Middle Guard, sandwiched between two separate hordes?"

"Then that would be such a very bad event. But, we can rule that out since traveling around the mountain ranges will take a lot of days."

"But these undead do not tire! They can travel for days and nights without stopping for a rest."

"Let them! Five hundred kilometers to us is five hundred kilometers for the enemy, whether they're alive or not."

Apocalis intervened. "How about this: We put garrisons all over the inner side of the mountains, five of them for each, in which these garrisons are lightly guarded, only for sending the beacon if the enemy is in their midst. That way, we can detect the enemy presence and quickly retreat to the Final Guard to prepare for a siege."

"That can be good." The two arguing generals agreed to the idea.

"Also, we must build defenses at the Pass itself. Build a gate there." Apocalis said.

"That will be undertaken." The king said. "Any more orders? My builders are in your service."

After a short discussion, Kira laid out the orders for the kingdom's men. "There must be defenses outside this city. We might want to build a system of supply depots in the outskirts of the city, that are guarded by forts and garrisons. We should strengthen the existing defenses as well."

"We wll be able to build these garrisons in a short while."The king said. "Also, you will have a dispatchment of five thousand footmen and and five hundred cavalry." The king said.

"We thank you for your aid. We shall assure you that it will not go to waste." Kira said. "May the gods guide us."

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_The grass crumbles into ashes by my touch, and the wind around me seems..malevolent._

_Why is this so? Have I been cursed?_

_As I looked up, I saw only darkness._

_Why is this so?_

_A traveler went by me, and when I ran to him and asked him something, he fell onto the ground, dead._

_Why am I like this? I cannot explain what's happening to me..I do not like the things that are happening.._

_Please, somebody, tell me, what is wrong with me?_

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**A/N:**

**Yay! I finished the second chap, at last! (Victory theme plays)**

**Can anyone comment on it, please? Please view it as a literary work; some novel, if you'd like to say, and please give me constructive criticism and advice, if you can. I'd like to know how I'm doing.**

**Prepare for war! My first war chapter is coming! So..see you soon.**


	4. Retreat to Dagger Pass

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1

**Author's Note**

**Hello to you all! I hope that my writing will improve in this chapter. Thanks Nashiil for the advice!**

**There's a minor edit in Chapter 2. Nothing much, but if you're wondering, it's the number of troops assigned for each of the heroes. It's now 5000 footmen and 500 cavalry.**

**I have mapped out the storyline, so watch out for quicker updates soon!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Power World, nor most of its characters. The characters I own so far only are Apocalis, Kira, and Torresa. The characters created here (Eiteran, Ezinale, Minas, Demi) are mine as well. But that's it.**

**As usual, reviews, advice, and comments are appreciated. Flames are not appreciated much, but will be accepted if there is _a good and sensible reason_ for those flames to exist.

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**Chapter 3: Retreat to Dagger Pass**

The defenses of the Kingdom of Rothlen have been completed, and the troops have steeled themselves for the very powerful assault from a very large undead army. The Kingdom of Rothlen sent one of its major generals, General Tethas, a burly man brandishing a large battleaxe, and a veritable army to aid the Advance Guard. In the Advance Guard's defense lines, Drabiticium and Cloud saw a cloud of dust coming from the distance, a sign that an army is coming.

Cloud, in his steed, rode off with his personal guard of 75 footmen and 5 cavalry, and met two forces, headed by a man and a woman. His blue eyes showed little expression as the three converging armies came to a halt. Cloud's guards stood at the ready, swords unsheathed and lances gripped.

Cloud was the first to talk. "Who are you, and what is your business?"

The woman was the one to reply, "We have come from the neighboring kingdom of Runthera, and we have come to reinforce you. I am Seira, and this gentleman here is Dresdian." Dresdian nodded his head to acknowledge Cloud.

Cloud then commanded his guards to be at rest. The troops then sheathed their swords and lances were then put to their sides, although they still gripped their weapons' scabbards and handles lest the two arrivals decide to attack their leader. Cloud then said, "We will be facing heavy odds, even with your reinforces. Are you and your troops prepared for such a situation?"

The man then nodded. "We've been fighting in very dangerous battles, and we shall make use of strategy to defeat the powerful foe." The woman smiled, and said, "I have always liked challenges; it makes life more rewarding."

gThen we shall go. We will be meeting for troop placement in a short while." Cloud then rode off, with the two armies close behind.

Back at the camp, Drabiticium was informed of an army coming from the Middle Guard. She saw Ezinale riding hard to them, escorted with 50 cavalry and a hundred footmen who were trailing behind. Drabiticium asked her on why she was out here once she jumped down from her steed and recovered.

"There has been a change of plan. It's urgent." Ezinale panted. "All generals were to report back to the Middle Guard and pull out all troops."

"Why is that?" Drabiticium asked. "We can't pull out our forces; Nura might arrive at any moment and we will be caught off guard."

"Well, we will have to make it fast. Apocalis has abandoned the borders, he says it's too hard to defend and huge loss of life may ensue if we try and hold it."

"If that is so, then we will pull out. I will inform the rest of the Guard. But we might need some reinforcements, so be at the rear to ask for reinforcements if needed." The two then rode off to the main camp. By that time, the armies of Dresdian, Seira, and Cloud have arrived as well. Soon, all of them were in a tent, planning on how to make the retreat.

Cloud outlined their retreat. "This is the plan: Tethas, Dresdian, and I will be guarding the front lines, while Seira and Drabiticium will be there to reinforce, and Ezinale will be at the rear, to send for help if the need arises.

"The plan will be to traverse through Dagger Pass, which is a small part of Rothlen Pass. This is the quickest way for us to reach the Middle Guard, and the safest one as well, seeing as these creatures can easily overtake us if we try to go around the mountains. Is this clear?" Everyone in the tent nodded their assent, and soon, the troops are marching towards Dagger Pass as planned.

It was a long journey to Dagger Pass. They passed leagues and leagues of grassland, but, as they went nearer to the region of Dagger Pass, one of two passes that cut off the inner reaches of Rothlen from outside, the ground became more dusty and barren. Soon, a mountainous region was right before them as the red sun was shining the last vestiges of its light.

"Dagger Pass," Tethas announces. "We will push no farther, and we will camp here for the night." Soon, camps were built and a makeshift barricade made, with a changing guard.

Night then fell, and an eerie silence fell around the camp. Nothing could be heard except for the wind and the crackling of fires. The sentinels were sitting in clusters, trying to endure the chilly air. Some of them were attempting to monitor their surroundings, even with the darkness around them. Then, a sentinel heard a faint, dull, constant rumble.

"Sir, I report a probable disturbance!" The sentinel reported to the lieutenant on duty.

"What is it?" The lieutenant replied.

"Sir, there has been a faint rumbling. It might symbolize an army rushing to us!"

"It might be..! SILENCE!" The lieutenant shouted, and all became silent. Soon, everyone heard a rumbling noise, and some felt a miniscule quaking of the ground. "It is an army all right, and a large one! Rouse the officers and troops and sound the alarm!" The lieutenant ordered.

Immediately, the sentinels rushed into action. Large bells were rang and the sentinels woke the officers and troops. Drabiticium, the acting commander of the defense forces, was the first to be roused.

"My lady, you must get ready!" One of her personal guards said to her urgently.

"Why.." Drabiticium replied groggily.

"My lady, our camp will be attacked by enemy troops! We have to be ready for combat!" Right after he said those words, Drabiticium sprang to action. She donned her light armor and wielded her Sonic Blade, a blade as light as air. She rushed out of her tent, her personal guards keeping up with her.

The other officers were also roused from sleep, and soon, the troops formed up in divisions both outside and inside the barricade. Cloud, Dresdian, and Tethas commanded the division outside the barricade, while Seira and Drabiticium were to be ready to give aid behind the barricade. Ezinale was sent back posthaste to the Rear Guard for reinforcements.

_The first encounter with the terrifyingly strong undead army is coming, and it is coming fast. _Drabiticium thought, fear coursing through her body. _But I need to be strong..!_

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_Oh, I have suffered, I have suffered!_

_This malevolence inflicts pain in my body and soul.  
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_It controls me, takes hold of me, hurts me..!_

_I wish for it to end, to end! Please, anybody, hear my plea!_

_Please, anybody, let me out of my suffering-_

A terrible scream of excruciating pain was heard. And Lilith, a Mage of Rothlen, knew no more.

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**A/N:  
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**Hello there! I'm very sorry for making you wait for this, and I hope you can enjoy this chapter.**

**The next one will be coming soon! I'll try to finish it as fast as I can. As usual, advice and reviews will be appreciated!**


	5. The Battle of Dagger Pass 1

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1

**Author's Note**

**Greetings, all! I'm back after two months (or so) of inactivity, and I'm back with a fresh mind and a lot of plans! I hope I can carry these plans out by the end of May. Also, I would ask you to leave a review, a constructive one. I can't improve my writing if people don'tgive me advice, so please give me advice, okay? I will thank you in advance.**

**Be warned: This is a battle chapter. This is my first yet, so please give me advice on how to do another one (there **_**will**_** be many, I assure you) if you think I can do better. Also, if you can't stomach the war chapters, you might want to stop reading altogether; this fanfic series will mainly compose of war. But don't worry, I'll be sure to put in other themes.

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**Chapter 4: The Battle of Dagger Pass (Part 1)**

"Quick, the torches! The torches!"

"Bring the men together! Ready the ranks!"

"To the barricades! Defend the barricades with your lives!"

Shouts filled the air as captains ordered their troops to defend the front lines, supply depots, and the commanders, who were stationed at their places as planned. Grouped together at the front lines were Tethas, Cloud, and Dresdian, the three most skiled fighters among the Advance Guard. At their rear were Drabiticium and Seira, looking upon the battle, ready to charge their forces to the front lines' aid. Sentinels ran, torches in hand, to light the camps' torches.

"The troops are afraid," Drabiticium spoke, her eyes scanning the activity from a vantage point near the camp. "The murky darkness hides the enemy, and our enemy charges fearlessly."

"That is so.." Seira nodded in assent beside her. "We need illumination, but..perhaps you have some scrolls of Illumine?" Drabiticium shook her head as she leapt from the vantage point and walked to the main camp, beckoning Seira to follow her.

"Please, have a seat. We should rest; we will need it when we rush to their aid." Drabiticium said as the two sat near a desk, still cluttered with maps, books, and parchment. "I have realized that we should call upon more allies. Even our veritable forces here will be naught but a small delay for the Undead."

"But, with the coming of more forces, will come more dead, and even more enemies to deal with," Seira objected. "We should call the least amount of forces, and prevail."

"Yes, I see. But that seems to be impossible."

"Impossible, huh? If such a situation were impossible, we would have been decimated by that beastly army a long time ago! We would have been doomed to fail! The Multiple would have been easily crushed by the Human forces! Such a feat would be possible, Drabiticium," and here Seira dropped her voice into a whisper, "if we were strong enough. And we are, hmm?"

As Drabiticium started to reply, a voice shouted, "They come!" The two quickly ran out of the tent and looked at horror..as a certain book, lying precariously on a pile of books, fell and opened, inscribed with these words:

_They charge with superhuman strength, running like the wind._

_Their bodies in a state of decay, greying flesh,_

_Their hands morphed into jagged claws,_

_Their faces disfigured in pain and death,_

_Their voice like the rattle of Death._

_Beware, beware, O living soul_

_Of the Undead, the Bane of Life!_

In the front lines, a more apprehensive mood can be seen. Tethas squinted at the inky darkness, trying to make out any outline of the approaching army. He grumbled.

"Grr! I can't see a damn thing in this blackness!" The burly general gritted his teeth and gripped his axe tighter. "Put up some torches around the barricades! One can see nothing in this dark," he shouted. Some guards immediately carried out the order, and soon, light uncovered the darkness before them.

"Ahh, at last! We can now decently see-" his words were cut off in a surprised silence as he witnessed a thick stream of monstrous bodies appearing from the narrow entrance to the clearing in which they are camped, charging at a frightening speed. At the same time, a sentinel shouted, "They come!" and all stood, paralyzed with fear, for a moment in seeing the horrible creatures. Tethas, however, was quick to react.

"All ranks in formation! Prepare to charge! For the glory of the Eastern Territories!" He shouted, brandishing his gigantic axe in the air. All cheered, and the foremost ranks surged forward bravely, to stall the Undead horde's assault. The middle ranks fell quickly filled the space left by the forward ranks, and the rear ranks stayed, ready to go forward at any time.

At the forefront, Tethas, Cloud, and Dresdian, with their troops, charged. With one great, sickening crunch of steel, flesh, and bone, the two armies converged. The soldiers forcefully jabbed their lances right through the bodies of their adversaries, but were shocked to see only a slight twitching of the Undead, and looked, horrified, as it pulled out the spear from its body. Tethas was a bit more successful, crushing the decaying bones of the Undead and chopping at their bodies with immense force. Cloud used his knowledge of the Powers of Water and Wind to freeze the Reveants, and a very sharp blow from the flat edge of his sword to shatter the Revenants to pieces. Dresdian used his many skills he had been taught as a Myrmidon and Sword Singer to bring down all those who came within reach of his blade. The soldiers were being decimated by the Undead, although some were skillful enough to bring down their enemies.

Soon, the crushed, mangled, and chopped bodies of tens of defeated Reveants piled under the heroes' feet, but the three are growing weary of the endless combat. Tethas's once strong and vicious swings now lessened in vigor, and his axe is slowly growing weaker and duller; Cloud is running out of energy to cast his spells, and he has taken a severe hit when a berserk Revenant viciously delivered a punch to his stomach; Dresdian has retreated to the rear lines due to him suffering some slash wounds and exhaustion, soldiers covering his retreat. In the rear, Drabiticium and Seira look with apprehension.

"The front lines are struggling," Seira started. "Their forces are weary, and they are being pushed back."

"I have noticed," Drabiticium indicated her assent. "We must plan a systematic retreat. The front lines will be crushed if they will retreat now."

"What of Ezinale? She must have mustered some men to arms."

"She should have; we must have a plan. We don't have Tethas to guide us, so we should work out our retreat." The two then brought out some parchment and sketched a map of their camp in it, talking and discussing while their quills scratched in hasty drawing. In the meanwhile, a large band of cavalry, led by two riders, is riding to Dagger Pass from the Middle Guard, a distance of twelve leagues, to reinforce the struggling Advance Guard.

"It will take about half an hour to reach the clearing," One of the riders shouted over the sound of hooves. "We must help the Guard; they will retreat sooner or later. We must cover their retreat."

"That will be done, I assure you," The other rider replied. "Our cavalry is strong, and it will take them a lot before they can bring us down."

The company of riders pressed on, under cover of night, to reach the Advance Guard's camp before the Undead completely overtakes them. The front lines are struggling, and the rear line is barely enough to reinforce the front line. The situation of the Advance Guard seems to be hopeless..

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**Okay, and there's the fourth chapter of TAC, and my first ever battle chapter! Please tell me how it went. The next chapter will be coming in soon, so expect an update to come!**

**As usual, reviews are appreciated. Flames will be accepted if they are justifiable.**

**EDIT: Sorry for the confusion! This is NOT the Battle of the Middle Guard; it's the Battle of Dagger Pass. Again, sorry for the confusion I've caused.  
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	6. The Battle of Dagger Pass 2

The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1

A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1

**Author's Note**

**I have little to say in this chapter's Author's Note. I promised an update to come soon, and here it is! Enjoy it, and if you want to make it more enjoyable, please give me advice/comments in your reviews (or PM if you want to say it privately). I will thank you in advance.**

**Be warned: This is a battle chapter. I****f you can't stomach the war chapters, you might want to stop reading altogether; this fanfic series will mainly compose of war. But don't worry, I'll be sure to put in other themes.**

**Also, I've been planning to make sketches of battle maps related to this fic and upload them in my site as the story progresses. This is yet a plan, however.**

**By the way, I'm giving credit to my reading of **_**The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers**_** for helping me with the battle chapters. You may also notice its effect on the characters' dialogues.**

**And a small favor from you, dear readers. I'm very inexperienced in weaving the words and behavior of girls and women in the medieval age (think Fire Emblem or Zelda or Runescape or something like that). If you find the dialouges of the female characters (AKA Kira, Drabiticium, Seira, and Ezinale) unfitting for their gender or are needing some improvements, please do not hesitate to review or PM me about it.

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**Chapter 5: The Battle of Dagger Pass (Part 2)**

Things are not going well for the front lines. The Revenants have slowly gained ground, with the barricades almost fully taken. The two remaining commanders are struggling to defend themselves against the attacks of their enemies, and the defeated are piling up on the blood-soaked ground. It is a dreadful sight, and it struck the hearts and spirits of the men.

"Gaah! When is this going to be over?" Tethas said. "And this night, this night seems to be much too long for a night!"

"I'd agree with you, my friend," Cloud shouted over the din of combat. "This inky blackness discourages me. I long to see the light, shining radiantly over the horizon!" And as he said this, he dodged a Revenant's swipe. "And the endless sight of these monsters are dousing the fire of my spirit."

As the battle progressed in the front lines, Drabiticium and Seira still are in a hot discussion about their retreat strategy inside the main tent.

"But, we must reach them in time! This plan will fail if the forces are pushed back to the camps, or if they break through the lines. And the lines will be in the verge of breaking."

"That will be easy. We have our cavalry to push back their advance, and the footmen to hold them longer. Our retreat will be smoothly executed, and will save the bulk of our forces."

"But, how will our meagre forces-"

The two were interrupted by a guard who announced to them, "My lady! A company of cavalry is approaching us from the rear!" The two hurried outside and looked at the direction where the guard is looking and saw a large company of horsemen riding some distance away from them.

"Just in time! Ezinale has arrived. But who is that rider with her? I do not recognize him," Seira said.

"Neither do I," Drabiticium agreed. "Come, we shall meet them at the rear gates and give them counsel about the situation." The two then stood outside the gates, waiting for the company to arrive. Soon, the veritable army rode and stopped in front of the gates, bristling with lances.

"Well met!" Dabiticium greeted the newcomers. "Our situation is grave, and you have come in the nick of time. Ezinale, and you," she nodded to the rider, "come with me to the tent. We have a strategy, and we must execute it as fast as we can." The yet unknown rider ordered the men to make a defensive position in the camp, and went inside with the three.

"Okay! Here's the plan," Drabiticium started, as she brought out a map and some sketches. "We will be moving forward in three flanks, one main flank led by Seira and you," she nodded to the man, " which comprises our combined cavalry, and two trailing flanks led by me and Ezinale which comprise our footmen. The main flank will push through, while the front lines retreat. At the moment that the front lines have started to withdraw their forces and make a retreat, the trailing flanks will go forward, strenthening the assault and protecting the main flank from a three-sided attack. Once the front lines have withdrawn fully to the continuation of the pass, the main flank will withdraw with us, the commanders, and the two other flanks will retreat. Once we have reached the edge of the clearing, the forces are safe, and we can ride on to the Middle Guard. All pursuing forces can be easily fended off. Is this strategy clear to you all?" The three nodded their assent. "We shall go, then. We must not delay any further." The four then walked out of the tent, ordered their men, and rode on their steeds, ready to go to battle. Drabiticium was approached by the rider.

"By the way, Drabiticium, my name's Argyle, Captain of the Middle Guard's night watch." Argyle did not wait for a reply, and rode to his company to give orders, putting on his helmet, sheathing his blade, and riding out to his company. Drabiticium then rode out to the forefront of their army, and shouted, "Riders of Rothlen, we ride! We ride to aid our ailing comrades! We ride for our future! We shall not win tonight, no, but I assure you that we will win, and that time shall be soon!" The troops gave a wild cheer, and the main flank rode forward, the footmen running behind them.

"Sir! Reinforcements are coming!" A soldier shouted at Dresdian, who looked behind him and saw an approaching company of horsemen, one of them shouting, "Give way! Give way!" The troops dived out of the way as the cavalry rode forward, but once they're out of the way, they cheered, their spirits refreshed at the arriving forces. Dresdian, although still wounded, stood and ordered his troops, "Men! I am weak and wounded, but mind me not! Go on, join them, and crush the enemy beneath us!" His soldiers cheered, and followed his command, running in step with the other forces. He and his personal guard then retreated to the main camp and looked upon the battle with apprehension.

"Retreat! Our lines cannot withstand this assault any longer!" Cloud shouted the order, and his forces quickly turned tail and ran nearly into the hooves of the incoming reinforcements, Argyle shouting, "Charge! Cover the retreat!" With this, Tethas also ordered his men to retreat as the cavalry mowed down the front lines of the enemy, and the trailing forces quickly filled up the space left by the retreating forces, and started to hold back the incoming wave of enemies. Fighting with vigor and enthusiasm, the incoming forces drew back the enemy lines, as the front lines retreated to the edge of the clearing, making it slowly to the Middle Guard.

"Tethas!" Dresdian called out to the burly commander as he was running to his horse, which he left at the main camp. "Are we retreating?"

"Aye, sir. The reinforcements are holding the enemy lines so we can retreat safely." Tethas got up on his horse and rode off, Dresdian following suit shortly after, bearing the pain caused by his aggravated injuries. Soon, most of the army made it to the edge of the clearing, riding and running over the hard-packed earth on the way to the massive gates of the Middle Guard. Argyle saw the last footman disappear into the inky darkness in the dark, narrow pass.

"They've left the clearing! They're safe!" Argyle shouted as he hacked his blade hard onto the body of a Revenant. "We should sound the retreat in a short while!"

"We will leave in a short while," Drabiticium replied. "Our retreat must be sure, and it should happen at the right time." A short time passed as the forces held the enemy lines in a deadlock, until Drabiticium called, "Main flank, retreat! We shall be riding with you! Footmen, cover our retreat!" The three commanders pulled back with the cavalry, riding hard across the clearing as the footmen trailed behind them, slewing down some pursuing Revenants. Soon, the main flank made it to the edge of the clearing and into the narrow pass, riding off into the distance. The footmen slowly backed into the pass and then retreated, the Revenants hot on their tail. As Seira looked back, she saw the footmen slowly being overrun by the more agile, faster Revenants.

"We must reach the Middle Guard before we are wiped out! Most of the main forces must have arrived before its gates," Seira said to Drabiticium as they rode out. "How many leagues from the clearing to the Middle Guard's gates?"

"About five leagues," Ezinale grimly said. "and we have crossed but a small fraction of the distance.."

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**Okay! Here's the fifth chapter. I hope that it was great! Please give me feedback and advice, because I will be making a lot of battle chapters for this fanfiction series. Constructive criticism is nice, too. And, how's my attempt at a cliffhanger?  
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